The team behind Japan Centre and Shoryu Ramen know how much Londoners love their noodles, so as well as all their ramen joints, there’s now a place where you can get authentic Hakata udon. Ichiryu, right by Tottenham Court Road, has fresh noodles being made in the window, an open kitchen and a takeaway counter as well as dine-in seating.
Although there is sushi and rice bowls on the menu, Ichiryu specialises in tempura and udon, so when in Rome. The veggie tempura sharing plate included huge pieces of aubergine, courgette, onion and potato…a little tricky to divide using chopsticks but super light and crispy nonetheless. Similar to ramen, the niku beef and prawn tempura udon came with a host of toppings like ontama egg, spring onion and wakame seaweed, all sitting in a rich tsuyu bonito soup. And as expected, the noodles were the star of the show; thick and bouncy, and we slurped the whole lot. Udon is considered a healthy meal in Japan, so you can finish your bowl without feeling guilty either…total bonus.
With hot and cold udon options, a choice of alternative noodles and extra toppings, there’s plenty of scope for customisation, plus there are tempura bits on every table so you can add extra crunch to your heart’s content.
84 New Oxford St, London, WC1A 1HB
www.ichiryuudon.com